This project discuss the susceptibility of corona virus due to biomedical waste produced daily as a result of the virus. It also puts across the challenges and the solution to handle this waste in India before disposing of.

1. Assignment Topic
Waste Generation and it’s Management during
Covid-19 Pandemic in India
Subject: AECC-EVS
Sub Code: 72182801
Shaheed Bhagat Singh College
University of Delhi
(2021-21 Session)
Submitted by
Name- Saksham Sinha
Roll no.- 684
Bachelors in Commerce
1st Semester
Section E
Shaheed Bhagat Singh College
University of Delhi

2. 2
1.Introduction
SARS-CoV-2, most commonly known as Coronavirus, emerged first in the Wuhan city of China
in late 2019 and proved to be an unprecedented threat to the whole world since then. It has truly
imposed a restriction on human lives in many countries and has taught us a new way of living.
Being the second-most populous country in the world and one of the top contenders in the
hierarchy in terms of coronavirus infection, India is facing far more extreme consequences of this
unrestrained outbreak than many other countries in the same league.
Apart from all the other challenges put forward by the existence of SARS-CoV-2, there is a need of
proper management to handle the different types of solid waste especially Biomedical waste
(BMW) emerging from different health care facilities, quarantine homes, and centres, which is
appearing in a huge amount every day and the possible challenges we are facing while confronting
the problem of this waste, that could be a source itself to spread this contagious virus, if not handled
and treated properly.
In this assignment, I have discussed briefly the susceptibility of the virus due to Biomedical waste
produced daily as a result of curing infected patients. This assignment also put across the
challenges and the solution to handle this waste in India before it is disposed of.
2. About Coronavirus
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) has shaken the entire world lately, after coming into
existence in the late 2019 in the city of Wuhan. While India is fighting the coronavirus threat, there
is one more aspect that needs our attention which is the biomedical waste generated from the
hospitals and laboratories, for instance surgical masks, face shields, gloves, shoe cover, personal
protective equipment (PPE). Not all if it is hazardous, but even the smaller amount of hazardous
waste is enough to spread the virus and hinder our fight against corona.

3. 3
3. Biomedical waste generation and management during COVID-19
pandemic in India:
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the massive generation of biomedical waste (BMW) and
plastic waste (PW). This sudden spike in BMW and PW has created challenges to the existing waste
management infrastructure, especially in developing countries. Safe disposal of PW and BMW is
essential; otherwise, this virus will lead to a waste pandemic.
Biomedical waste poses various health and environmental hazards. Hence, it should be handled
with the utmost care and disposed of safely. Several lacunas exist in the management of biomedical
waste in India, and the pandemic posed by the coronavirus has made it even more challenging. The
sudden outbreak of the virus led to an exponential rise in the quantity of biomedical waste.
Furthermore, the poor infrastructure and lack of human resources have aggravated this situation. To
combat this serious problem in a timely manner, the government has formulated various standard
operating procedures and has amended the existing rules and guidelines
Biomedical waste (BMW) differs from general municipal waste as it poses various health hazards.
BMW management rules 2016 and the amendment rules 2018 are the latest guidelines from the
ministry of environment, forest & climate change to regulate the handling of BMW activities in the
country. India is the second-most populous country after China and the second worst-hit nation by
the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) after the United States of America (As of November 9,
2020). Due to the flawed biomedical waste management system and lack of resources, India is
facing severe consequences during the COVID-19. Untreated and improperly managed BMW is a
potential source of infection. The diligent handling and management of BMW can prevent the
occurrence of hospital-acquired infection and lower the rates of disease transmission. In addition,
the untreated or the rudimentary handling of BMW creates a nuisance and decreases patient
satisfaction.
According to the data published by the central pollution control board (CPCB) in the year 2018, the
total amount of BMW generated in India is 517 tonnes/day in the year 2016 and around 501
tonnes/day in the year 2015, out of which around 4–5% remains untreated. The annual report
2018/2019 released by CPCB showed the generation of 557 tonnes/day BMW in 2017, out of which
517/day was treated. The country has a total of 238,170 healthcare facilities, out of which 87,267
are bedded while the remaining 151,208 are non-bedded healthcare facilities (HCFs) generating
BMW. There are 198 approved common biomedical waste disposal facilities (CBMWFs) in the
country and 28 are under construction.

4. 4
4. Ground-level process for handling and managing the BMW in India
Biomedical waste generation and management during COVID-19
pandemic in India
Biomedical waste is not handled like municipal waste. The central pollution control board
(CPCB) is the apex body to monitor the country's BMW management activities under the
ministry of environment, forest, and climate change. There are separate state pollution control
boards in each state to monitor and regulate the BMW activities within the state and report the
findings to the CPCB.
The country has a stringent policy of onsite segregation of the generated BMW and storing,
transporting, and disposing of them in adherence to the biomedical waste rules framed by the
ministry under the Government of India. It is mandatory for all the small clinics, diagnostics,
laboratories, nursing houses, hospitals and other healthcare institutions to comply with these
guidelines.
Previously, the country had ten different categories of waste for segregation. Later, it was amended
into four classes for easy segregation. Infected or potentially infected waste is labelled as yellow,
apparently non-infected and recyclable fall in the red category, sharps and small metallic items
come under the white category while waste consisting of glass is segregated into the blue category.
● Segregated waste is stored in a well-ventilated area and the stored waste is carried to
the disposal facility (commonly known as common biomedical waste disposal
facilities) for further treatment and disposal. The treatment of solid waste at the site
of generation or storage is prohibited according to the updated guidelines.
● The waste should be transported in a designated closed vehicle that is equipped with
the global positioning system tracker.
● The BMW in the CBMWFs is then treated, sterilised, and sent for recycling,
incineration, or landfilling based on the waste category.
● The qualitative process and quantitative data on the generated and disposed off
BMW should be accurately documented and reported to the state pollution control
board.
Violating these guidelines by healthcare facilities and disposal facilities will subject them to
penalties. Despite stringent rules and liability, the country reports a high degree of non-
adherence to these guidelines. According to the annual report, 2018/19 published by the
CPCB, 23,942 HCFs violated the BMW rules 2016, and 18,210 HCFs were issued a
warning for their violation. The report shows the massive amount of BMW generation per
day and around 13% of HCFs have violated BMW rules, which show the poor biomedical
handling and management in India.

5. 5
5. Existing problems of BMW and crisis during COVID-19 pandemic
According to data published by NDTV on September 18, 2020, the country is generating a
considerable amount (Above 100 tonnes/day) of COVID-19 related biomedical waste in the
country. Maharashtra contributes for approximately 17% of total COVID-19 related BMW. Now
the national daily waste generation is reaching around 850 tonnes/day. The details on the monthly
generation of COVID-19 related BMW across several states of India (From June 2020–December 2
According to the evidence from scientific literature, the virus may stay for more than 24h within the
cardboard, boxes, other rigid substances and around 72h on the surfaces of metals and sharps, which
is a significant threat for the workers collecting the waste for their daily survival. There are an
estimated two to four million ragpickers or korales in India.
However, they do not have sufficient information and adequate awareness about the necessary
precautions to be taken. Consequently, the pandemic has recorded that more than thousands of
waste workers have contracted the virus and hundreds of them have lost their lives.The country
does not have sufficient infrastructure and human resources to handle this huge amount of BMW.
The presence of 198 CBMWFs and 225 captive incinerators was insufficient to dispose of 700
tonnes of waste generated in a day. This additional BMW stirred up havoc in the disposal of BMW.
The workers involved in BMW management are pitching in extra hours to cater to this need.
According to the Supreme Court report, there is an increment in the quantity of BMW ranging from
25 to 349 tonnes/day during the month of May–July and it is expected to have doubled during the
months of August–October. Presently, there is a poor practice of segregation at the site of
generation due to the exponential rise in the generation, thus elevating the risk to the environment.
Additionally, inadequate safety measures for the BMW workers continue to remain another major
challenge in the Indian context. At present, around five million sanitation workers are performing
their duty and cleaning the country and these labourers are simultaneously handling the biomedical
waste as well. Sadly, they are not provided with the necessary personal protective equipment. These
workers are at high risk and subsequently pose a threat to the residing community.

6. 6
6. Measures required in the healthcare facilities for safe handling
and disposal of biomedical waste
6.1. Handling of solid biomedical waste
● The guidelines recommend the use of colour-coded bins for onsite segregation and
the usage of double-layered bags in the COVID-19 isolation areas.
● There should be additional and temporary bins for disposable PPEs, gloves and
masks and separate containers for reusable materials (e.g., N95 mask for cleaning
and sterilisation).
● The feces from the confirmed COVID-19 positive patient should be collected in a
diaper and segregated as the yellow category BMW or it can be collected in a pan
and flushed in the toilet, following which the toilet should be disinfected in
adherence to the SOPs.
● There should be separate segregation bags and carrier trolleys for handling the BMW
generated at COVID-19 areas. The bags and containers should be well labelled as
“COVID-19” for easy identification, treatment, and disposal of BMW. The outer and
inner surfaces of the containers and trolleys should be cleaned daily by using a 1–2%
sodium hypochlorite solution.
● A separate record should be maintained for BMW generated from COVID-19 related
activities, and the same should be reported to the pollution control board.
● The facilities can download the official application of the central pollution control
board (COVID19BWM) from the Google play store and register in the app in order
to upload the details with ease.
● A separate arrangement for the transportation of BMW from the hospital to the
common BMW disposal and treatment facility should be made.
● There should be dedicated vehicles for the transportation of BMW, and it should be
sanitised after every trip.
● BMW generated from COVID-19 related activities should be strictly disposed of
within 24 h.

7. 7
● All the waste collected from the nearby isolation and quarantine centres should be
treated as BMW generated within the hospital and the details should be documented
and reported to the pollution control board.
● Liquid waste should be treated chemically, and the disinfection process should
ensure the inactivation of coronaviruses in an effluent treatment plant.
● All the persons involved in the handling of BMW (COVID-19) should be given the
required training and personal protective equipment.
● These individuals should adhere to the standard operating procedures, follow basic
hygiene and infection control measures, and undergo regular health screening. This
should be accompanied by education, training and awareness is given at regular
intervals.
The amendments mentioned in the guidelines should be communicated to all the people
involved and should follow prompt implementation.

8. 8
6.2 Managing the liquid waste and wastewater from hospitals and
laboratories
Although the evidence of virus transmission through sewage is low, individuals working with the
sewage treatment plant (STP) are at high risk. The wastewater and liquid waste generated in the
healthcare facilities while performing COVID-19 related activities should be handled and treated
with the utmost care. The management of liquid waste differs from solid waste due to its physical
nature and hence, the processes used for the management of solid BMW are not applicable to liquid
waste. The following measures as directed by the central pollution control board can be considered;
● All the healthcare facilities operating STP and the terminal sewage plant operators are
responsible for treating the liquid waste.
● The hospital and the person involved in its handling should ensure the inactivation or death
of coronavirus.
● All the STP should strictly follow the SOPs framed by the pollution control board.
● The workers involved in the handling of wastewater treatment should be protected with
PPE.
● The utilisation of treated water from the STP can be avoided during the pandemic.

9. 9
7. Measures to follow in quarantine centres
The waste generated within the quarantine centres should be considered as general waste, but the
waste generated from the suspected and confirmed cases within the quarantine centres should be
treated as BMW. The waste generated in the quarantine centres should be segregated at the site of
generation and kept in the designated bags/bins/boxes like the handling of BMW in healthcare
facilities.
7.1. How to segregate the biomedical waste generated from the
quarantine centres?
The pandemic led to the generation of an unexpectedly high amount of BMW as various new
materials were introduced in the market for prevention, screening, diagnosing and treating the
patients. Some of the additional items generating the BMW in quarantine and isolation centres are
divided into various colour codes, as shown in Table :

10. 10
BMW
waste
Types of
boxes/bags
Types of wastes Treatment and
disposal
Yellow Non-chlorinate-d
plastic bag
(Autoclavable)
● Personal protective
equipment(PPE)
with spill
● Donned of PPE
● Disposable linen gloves
● Non-plastic and semi
plastic materials
● Soiled gloves
● Headcovers
● Disposable bed sheets
● Thermal scanners
● Soiled mask
● Disposable masks
● Tissues and toiletries
● Swab contaminated with
blood and other body fluids
● Plasma pyrolysis
● Incineration
● Deep burials
Red Non-chlorinated
plastic bag
(Autoclavable)
● Goggles(eye protection)
● Reusable bed sheets
● Nitrile gloves
● Hazmat suite
● Plastic water bottles used
in quarantine or isolation
areas
● Other recyclable materials
like pens
● Plastic coveralls
● Face shields
● Splash- proof aprons
● Empty sanitizer bottles
● Sterilising the waste
by autoclaving,
hydroplaning or
radiation based
● Treated/Sterilised
waste should be
sent for the
recycling
● This waste should
not be incinerated
or buried
White Leak and
Puncture proof
bags
● All the shapes generated in
quarantine, isolation or
screening areas
● Sharp metallic waste
● Wet or dry heating
sterilisation
● Sterilised waste is
shredded/mutilated
● Encapsulated and
sent for landfill
Blue Cardboard boxes ● All the glasswares
● Tube lights and bulbs
● CFL and LEDs
● All the glass bottles
● Metallic waste (recyclable
size)
● Disinfected or
sterilisation
● Sent for recycling

11. 11
7.2. How to segregate the biomedical waste generated from the
quarantine centres?
All the quarantine centres should be adequately supplied with yellow and red bags, blue cardboard
and white puncture-proof containers for onsite segregation and waste collection. The collected
waste should be kept in the designated storage area. The biomedical waste generated in the
quarantine centres should not be stored for more than 24h after generation. The BMW should be
transported to the common disposal facilities (CBMWFs) for final disposal. The generated waste
can also be transported to the nearby hospital approved for incineration in case of non-availability
of CBMWFs, and the same should be disposed of complying with the BMW rules 2016. The
guideline recommends the use of PPE by all the persons handling the BMW in quarantine centres.
The state pollution control board should continuously monitor the BMW handling and management
procedures in the quarantine centres and ensure compliance with the standard guidelines.

12. 12
8. Duties of the authorities and people involved in the BMW
handling during the COVID 19
The duties of the persons and authorities involved in BMW's handling and management are clearly
described in BMW rules 2016 and amendment rule 2018. All the healthcare facilities should strictly
comply with the roles designated by the CPCB. The authorities should give the utmost priority to
the management of BMW to prevent virus transmission. The current setup might lack the
information and resources for the safe handling of BMW, similar to quarantine centres. Therefore,
an excellent team who are trained, prepared and informed on the updated guidelines should be in
charge of the handling and processing of biomedical waste in these centres.

13. 13
8.1. Duties of quarantine facility authorities
Providing all the legal authority for the establishment and allocation of resources for the BMW
storage area.
● Arranging authorised vehicles for the transportation of BMW to the hospital or disposal
facilities.
● Conducting induction, orientation programs and training the personnel involved in the
handling and management of BMW.
● Monitoring the processes and ensuring its compliance with SOPs that have been laid down.
● Issuing the authorised identity card to the person entering the quarantine facilities.
● Handing over the generated BMW to the authorised collectors.
● Maintaining accurate documentation and reporting the same to the higher authorities.
8.2. Duties of biomedical waste management company, hospitals
● Timely collection of BMW from the quarantine centres (at least twice a day).
● Providing all the personal protective equipment to the persons involved in the transportation
and disposal of BMW.
● Regular sanitization of the BMW workers.
● Encouraging the strict adherence to the guidelines during the transportation and disposal of
waste.
● Providing the information regarding the reception of BMW to the generating facilities.
● Handing over the disinfected or sterile waste to the respective agency for recycling.

14. 14
● Providing updated information to the BMW handlers.
● Assist healthcare facilities and quarantine centres during the training.
● Maintaining proper records and documents for at least five years.
● Auditing the records with the generating facilities.
● Any injury or accident case should be reported to the quarantine facility in charge or the
sanctioned authority.
● Continuous education, training, monitoring and supervision of BMW handling processes
(daily basis).
8.3. Duties of central pollution control board
● They should ensure the compliance of healthcare facilities and other BMW generating
centres to the BMW rules 2016.
● They can allow the CBMWF for additional hours of work, but it should be monitored and
recorded accurately.
● They should make sure that the minimum documentation for the authorization of quarantine
centres is received and maintained.
● They shall monitor and supervise the BMW handling activity of all the facilities regularly
and document the same.
● Remote quarantine centres beyond the reach of CBMWFs should be permitted for the deep
burial of BMW.
● The state control board should assist CBMWFs with any required resource collection and
disposal during the pandemic.

15. 15
● In case the amount of BMW exceeds the capacity of CBMWFs, the hospital or healthcare
setting can be permitted for incineration within the health care setting
● State pollution control should download and use the COVID19BWM app and stay updated
with the uploaded data regularly

16. 16
9. Conclusion
Biomedical waste is a serious health concern. Untreated biomedical waste serves as a potential
source of pathogens. Literature has reported more than 40 species of harmful micro-organism to
possess the potential to transmit and cause human illness. The etiological agent of the pandemic is
highly contagious and rapidly transfers from one person to another via various routes. Due to its
high transmission rate, the risk of getting infected is persistently high. Realising the threat of
disease, state and central pollution control boards in association with AIIMS New Delhi have
framed various guidelines. These guidelines are focused on the prevention of healthcare personnel
and workers involved in its handling and management. This update has enabled the preparation of
policies for the temporary centres and has emphasised the roles and responsibilities of the
concerned persons and authorities’. Strict compliance with these newly framed guidelines will make
the management of the exponential increase in BMW easier and safer for the environment and
community.

17. 17
10. References:
1. Researchgate.net
2. Sciencedirect.com
3. Slideshare.com
4. Wikipedia
5. wn.com
6. Times of India